MARIETTA — Congressman David Scott (D-Smyrna) called for continuing the Bush tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans while at the same time stopping the sequestration process to protect such defense contractors as Lockheed.

Scott made his remarks to a group of about 60 who gathered at Local Lodge 709 in Marietta on Monday evening.

“The Democrats and Republicans agree on getting 98 percent of the people the tax cut,” Scott said. “The Republicans want to give 100. Well, if we agree on all but two let’s not hold hostage the 98 percent of the American people, right?”

Scott was asked after the meeting why he wouldn’t support extending the tax cuts for everyone.

“We need this continual jolt in the economy at the middle and lower income,” Scott said. “What it is, we’re in a recovery in this economy. We need jobs. It is demand that creates jobs. We need spending to create demand. That sector that does the spending is your middle and lower incomes that will spend this money and keep it going in the system. What the wealthiest do is … it’s an investment. They hold onto it.”

Scott said the tax cuts have an expiration date because former President Bush intended them to eventually expire.

“We’re asking the wealthiest people here to just abide by what Bush intended the law to do and expire,” Scott said. “We’re just simply saying we’re in a tight (spot) here. If we don’t do this then we’re going to cut the military. We’re going to lose jobs at Lockheed. Our hospitals are going to close. Teachers are not going to get paid. We’re going to lose our standing in the world.”

Scott said the majority in the top 2 percent bracket favor doing more for their country.

“They’re not going to feel it,” he said. “Even the majority of the people in that bracket have said, ‘yes, we can do more. We can do better. That’s what made this country great.’ It is moments like this when we rose to the occasion and made those sacrifices. This cannot be made on the backs of the lower income senior people and the middle income strata of this country. They’ve taken too much pain already.”

House Speaker John Boehner supports the proposal, Scott said.

“But the issue is we have some people who are just hell bent on not compromising at any point and believe we don’t need any revenue. Just cut, cut, cut, cut, cut. But we can’t do that. We’ve got to protect these jobs,” Scott said.

Melissa Pike, chair of the Cobb Democratic Party, explained why she believes the top two percent don’t need the tax break.

“There comes a point in time when the folks who were backing especially the wars that we were in, that back in the good old days everybody pitched in, and it seems to me that it was the same people except for that 2 percent who were pitching in to these last two wars. It’s time for them to pay for their share of these last two wars,” Pike said.

Denise Rakestraw, president of Local Lodge 709 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said it’s critical the defense cuts that come with going over the fiscal cliff don’t happen.

“It will have a drastic effect on the defense industry, and the fiscal cliff needs to be avoided, and that’s the message we need to get out to everyone,” Rakestraw said. “Call your congressman and let him know this is how you feel. This is what we need to do.”

Like Scott and Pike, Rakestraw also believes the top two percent don’t need the tax cut extended.

“Those who have more can afford to pay more,” she said.

Scott said revenue that would come from not extending the tax cuts on the top two percent is estimated to be between $600 and $700 billion. He proposed using that revenue “to take the downward pressure off the necessity of sequestration. That’s what threatens Lockheed.”

Sequestration would leave Lockheed with a skeleton crew, he said.

Scott said while he was “cautiously optimistic” that the proposal he favors would pass and the fiscal cliff would be avoided, it has opponents.

“You have some people who just do not want to be on record because they owe this oath to (Grover Norquist),” Scott said. “There are all kinds of reasons which I respect as a politician. I understand that. But we got a time frame here. We’ve got a country to save. We’ve got companies like Lockheed to save which means communities to save, and if we don’t do this, and you let sequestration walk through that door it’s going to be devastating for Lockheed, and that’s one of the reasons I’m pushing this so hard …We’ve got to disavow sequestration, but in order to do that we’ve got to put something in its place.”

Scott also addressed the debate going on in Michigan over right-to-work legislation.

“I hope to goodness that right-to-work legislation will be defeated,” he said. “There’s so much, so much that you all, organized labor, have done for this country, and you’ve got to get out and let your light shine. You’ve got to speak it, and you’ve got to use these opportunities to remind people, because labor is under attack.”

Scott said the labor movement must become reenergized.

“It’s no different from the civil rights movement,” he said. “I mean prejudice, racism, all that, hanging, lynching, Ku Klux Klan, all that was going on a long time, but not until Rosa Parks sat down on the front seat of that bus and said she’s tired did the galvanizing spirit come.”

The Journal asked Cobb GOP Chairman Joe Dendy, who was not at the meeting, what he thought of Scott’s remarks.

Dendy believes the Bush tax cuts should be extended for everyone.

“All the economists say that that expiration of the tax cut on the top two percent would only last the government — how many days is it? Eight days? Something like that. Not even a dent in what we need, so I can’t see where what they’re saying is going to give a jolt to the economy by extending tax cuts to the 98 percent,” Dendy said. “That isn’t going to give any jolt to the economy. If it would have it would have already jolted, right?”

Class warfare is the reason the political left is targeting the two percent, Dendy said.

“I think that their far left base backed them into the corner during the campaign, and he’s having to deliver as he’s having to deliver by addressing these unions on the right-to-work legislation that’s spreading across the nation,” Dendy said. “That right there is going to be something that might jolt the economy if people can stop having to pay union dues out of their salaries to some union boss that’s making way more than any of our CEOs of corporations are making. If you want to jolt the economy there’s a lot of different ways to it than just taking money from the top two percent.”

What an idiot. Scott has no concept of what makes an economy run. I for one am sick of this leftist view of "fair share". When will the 50% who pay NO federal tax pay their fair share? Scott, like Obama is a socialist America hater intent on destroying what they view as a colonialist outpost!

Scott has NO CLUE! He will blindly follow President Zero over the "fiscal cliff."

I wonder why he is all of a sudden interested in Lockheed? He spends most of his time pandering to those on the Federal and State Taxpayer funded welfare/ poverty programs. He constantly calls these Constituents, "my People."

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and the picture accompanying this article says it all. A democratic congressman comforting a union leader. The picture says..."don't worry honey, we're gonna take care of you". "We're gonna take back your hard earned money from those mean ole rich people and use it to create good ole union jobs." "You don't have to worry, we got you covered."

Thank you for your great, precise comment about this picture. Scott has little or no interest in National Defense or Lockheed.

On another note, the great State of Michigan will probably become a "Right to Work" State in the next few days. Michigan's economy will soar!

Woodstock Aubie

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December 11, 2012

Maybe Scott is assuring Ms Rakestraw that he will put her at the front of the list for foodstamps when his pal Obama and gang pull the plug on the C-130J and the Marietta Plant. I think Lockheed managment in Maryland already know the Mariette plant is surplus to the Air Force and that's why they are pulling key support for F 22 out, look for this plant to be on the BRAC in 013

Obama Arrives

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December 11, 2012

Absolutely hilarious! Too funny. These same low information high benefit Democrat voters who put Obama back in the White House are now complaining?

Union thugs and David Scott are now surprised at Obama's policies? Har Har Har

So, now all the people who voted for and supported our brainless president, are actually not liking what is happening before their very eyes. Scott is a hypocrite! Got news for you dems, this is only the beginning. Elections have consequences and you all will lose jobs and pay higher taxes just like the Republicans who did not support this administration. If I were a Lockheed worker, and had the opportunity, I would take the Texas offer. At least they have a vibrant economy.

EVERY American should pay something. When over 40% of Americans pay nothing, and actually receive money, it is shameful to ask any group to pay more. I am blessed, but by the time you figure in Federal tax, state tax, and employment tax, I am at 61%....we won't even include property taxes or sales taxes or the nifty new tax I will be paying on my health insurance this year.

Mr. Rakestraw said the wealthy won't notice and it's only "investment" money....well, last time I checked Lockheed was owned by investors who will definitely notice and continue to move the jobs to the most economical environment. I suspect he would be a great new Secretary of Commerce for China.

The question for Mr. Scott should be "how long can the federal government spend 1 trillion dollars more than it brings in every year". The second question should be "give me one area of the 4 trillion federal government where you will decrease the growth". We can't even decrease the growth of government much less freeze or even cut spending. Finally, Mr. Scott, please define your numbers. That $600 billion you talk about is over 10 years. Its 60 to 80 billion over 1. Big difference.

Why don’t the Demorats put a 75 percent tax on entertainers and sports stars they are truly overpaid, that’s right they all support Obama? It’s always more money from spending that doesn’t work I guess Obama did get that credit card from George Bush that Obama talked about from the Bank Of China; Obama just keeps getting a pass from the sate controlled media just makes you sick you get up early to raise crack and meth babies for unwed mothers only in America!!

Yea Lockheed waste money building aircraft that saves storm victim’s lives and aids troops all over the world. I’m sure your one on that Da’s that says we don’t need to police the world. I’m sure China and Russia would be very fair about policing the world. I’m sure you would like it better Lockheed was building solar panels that don’t work like Solyndra and wasted all that money after all we can just print more money. You probably hate the stock market but your government retirement fund is in the stock market.

FROM TEXAS

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December 11, 2012

A lot of these people voted for Czar Obama talk about paying your fair share, just go to a flat tax so even the free riders have skin in the game. Spending is the problem eight days worth of taxes from the so-called rich, than when the eight days are up it’s your turn to be rich. This reminds me of England the king keeps taxing everybody more and nobody has enough money to plant crops or manufacture goods just print more money and more government jobs. Scott has never been too worried before about jobs at Lockheed why now free money for more giveaways to the very people that are tearing our county down Bill Cosby is right!!

Flat tax will never fly because then the moochers will actually have to pay SOMETHING in the first place!!!

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